We slept in this morning, which was nice!Then we did a little shopping here on the island.The shop owners are all really nice.We bought a few little things, but are still shopping around for the bigger things we want to get.
This afternoon, we went to a couple of jewelry markets.We bought a few little things.We just really wanted to get out and see the markets.It was fun, but we were so tired and hot by the time we got finished!
Tonight, we went to a German restaurant.We've never eaten German food before, but it was really good.It was funny, because the song Walk Like an Egyptian was playing while we were eating!So we're listening to Walk Like an Egyptian while eating German food in China!!!!!Too funny!
We made it here late last night. Jacinda was a champ on the flight!!!!!She did great.There was no food to be found in the Changsha airport, so by the time we got to our hotel in Guangzhou, it was 11 pm, and all 3 of us were SO hungry and thirsty.So we took a couple minutes walk to a 7-Eleven.However, this 7-Eleven was about 1/3 of the size of 7-Elevens in the US.There were about 30 people crammed in there and it was crazy.So dinner was Ritz crackers and Coke at 11:30 PM.
We're here for a week.This is where we do the US side of the paperwork.Jacinda is legally ours, but we can't bring her into the US until we get her Visa, which will happen this coming Friday.
So this morning was very drama-filled.Our group has 14 families and things were CRAZY today.We met at 9:30 to go get photos taken which will be used for the Visas.Then we all went to the International Clinic.The kids have to have a medical exam.Jacinda did great for everything except when they measured how tall she was.It was all so chaotic, that I didn't even see how much she weighed or how tall she was.Everything was fine and then she had to get shots.We had to wait for about 1 ½ hours while they determined what shots she needed and while everyone who arrived for the shots after us got called back to get the shots before us.
I'm not trying to start a debate about vaccinations, but Aaron and I are both really upset at the way vaxes are handled in our country.With Luke, we delayed some vaxes until we were comfortable with his development and his age.Well, with Jacinda, we don't get that luxury.With the older immigration process, adopted kids don't need vaxes until they get to the US.With the newer process (lucky us), the kids have to get vaxes before they can come into the US.There is legislation being worked on to fix this, but it's not there yet.
Jacinda had to get 6 shots today.Yes, I said 6.We have several problems with this.First, we've built up some trust with her, and now we both have to hold her down while the nurse takes 15 minutes to give her 6 shots.It was torture for all 3 of us.
Second, 6 shots is TOO MANY for a little body to handle.It just is.It makes us angry that our country requires the kids to have that many shots so quickly.It's bad enough that we have such an aggressive schedule for newborns.But now my little one has all kinds of medicines in her tiny little body and who knows what effect it will have on her.
After that, Jacinda slept for 4 hours.Aaron went to do some of our paperwork while I stayed with Jacinda.We're both still pretty steamed about the whole situation.Needless to say, she won't be getting any more for a very long time.I'll be staying home, so there's no need to get them for school or anything for a while.
We went to an Italian restaurant tonight with another family that we've made friends with.They have a little girl who is turning 3 soon, and the little boy they're adopting has a cleft lip and palate like Jacinda.So that was fun, but dinner with 3 little kids was a lot for all of us to handle after the day we've had!!!!!
Tomorrow we're taking a trip to a Jade and Pearl Market.Should be interesting!!!
Fairly boring day today.We spent most of the day organizing and packing all of our junk.We met our guide this morning at the last minute because she managed to get Jacinda's passport and all of our paperwork early.So we have all the important stuff.Now we're just waiting around until 5:30 when we check out and head to the airport.
So a few things we wanted to mention …….
Jacinda has been soooo cute today.She has been walking around the room playing and singing!It's the cutest thing!She also kissed us both for the first time today.She puckers up and her whole face scrunches up!
One thing we haven't mentioned is that she's pretty close to being completely potty-trained!!!!!!!They do that pretty young here.Works for us!
We may not get a chance to post tonight when we get to Guangzhou because it will be pretty late.
Jacinda was feeling much better today, so we ventured out for a while this morning.Our guide took us to an Embroidery shop.The Hunan province is famous for embroidery.It was amazing!They use silk threads to embroider pictures.It's unbelievable!!!!!We saw some amazing pieces of art.They said some of the pieces take several women years to finish!
Then we walked around a HUGE park for a while.After that, we visited a historic university. The buildings were beautiful.
Jacinda is getting more and more comfortable with us each day.She actually let Aaron hold and carry her for a few minutes this morning!She's taking longer to warm up to him, but we're getting there.
We have most of the day here tomorrow to hang out and wait.Our guide will be busy doing all of our paperwork.We will check out of our hotel at 5 pm, and go pick up Jacinda's passport on the way to the airport.Our next stop is Guangzhou, which is where we do all the US paperwork.We'll be there for just about a week. We arrive home Saturday night, 10/24/09.
So.Do you want to hear some crazy stuff?We're not sure Jacinda could be any more like Luke if they were biologically related.Examples:
-They both LOVE blankets.We gave Jacinda one as soon as she came into our room and she crumpled it up and put it to her face EXACTLY like Luke does.She hasn't let go of the blanket since she got here.
-They are both great eaters.She will eat anything we put in front of her.
-They both move around a lot when they're sleeping.Also, they both take FOREVER to really wake up.
-Huge, brown eyes with long eyelashes.
Every day we find more and more things and it's kind of eerie.If we had any doubts as to whether she was the right one for our family, we certainly don't now!
A funny story …. She loves to imitate us.So tonight we were at the hotel restaurant for dinner.When the basket of bread came, she snagged a roll before the basket hit the table.While she started eating her roll, I was putting butter on mine.She then grabbed a knife and started trying to put butter on her roll!It was too funny!!!!
Interesting day today. We had to take Jacinda to a Chinese hospital.She is fine, but let's just say that's an experience we NEVER want to repeat.It turns out that she has an infected ulcer in her throat.The entire visit, including several medications only cost $21!!!!!!!!And, the entire visit only took a half hour!Some differences than American health care … there is NO privacy at all.They took her temperature right in the lobby, which was more or less outside (the buildings here are SO different than the US).When we went into the room with the doctor, there were other families there seeing her.Of course, we couldn't understand anything, but everyone else could hear everything that was being said.
In the picture, the white thing on her forehead is something the Chinese use for fevers.I have no idea what's in it!
Since she wasn't feeling well, we've just been hanging out in our hotel room.Our fabulous guide talked to the hotel people and asked them to turn our A/C back on!We LOVE her for that!!!!!!(I suppose I should explain what the guide does …. Our adoption agency provides us with a local Chinese person to help us with all the paperwork and anything else we need.She speaks GREAT English and has been agreat help to us. We called her this morning to take us to the hospital and we are SO glad she was able to come with us and translate.)
Another thing I wanted to tell you all about is the beds in China.We had heard about the hard beds in China …….. the bed in our hotel in Beijing wasn't too bad.It was a little firm, but nothing out of the ordinary.But our beds in Changsha …. Different story.The first time I sat on the bed, it shocked me because it was so hard!Seriously, they should have just skipped the bed and put the pillows on the floor.It's that hard!!!!I think my hips and ribs are going to have bruises from it!!!!!
Another interesting thing to tell you all about is that we have gotten lots of stares from the Chinese people here in Changsha.We think it will be better when we get to Guangzhou, as there will be more adoptive families.But here, there aren't too many of us, so I think that's why we're getting uncomfortable looks.I don't think the people here are upset that Americans are adopting babies.I just think they don't see too many of us here, so they're interested.Also, this city is NOT a tourist destination at all, so the only white people they see are adoptive families.
We uploaded a couple of videos.You can see them at http://gallery.me.com/scbusf.Just scroll down to the Movies section.
If Jacinda is feeling better this afternoon, maybe I'll write more!
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